Mechanical sorting device



July 18, 1967 K. w. BOSSUNG MECHANICAL SORTING DEVICE Filed Feb. 18, 1965 KENNETH W. BOSSUIVG BY Z i C ATTORNEY United States Patent Oiitice 3,331,507 Patented July 18, 1967 3,331,507 MECHANICAL SORTING DEVICE Kenneth W. Bossung, West Islip, N.Y. (45 Villa Court, Apt. J3, Hempstead, N.Y. 11550) Filed Feb. 18, 1965, Ser. No. 433,648 4 Claims. (Cl. 209-421) The present invention pertains to a mechanical sorting device, and more particularly to a sorting device for sorting articles of silverware.

It is therefore the principal object of the present invention to provide a mechanical sorting device which will separate various articles in dependence upon the weight differential existing therebetween.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a mechanical sorting device which will simply and easily sort various articles of silverware, such as knives, forks and spoons.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a mechanical sorting device which is relatively easy to manufacture, which is relatively inexpensive and which is readily adjustable so that it may accommodate articles of varying weights.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent when considered in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a mechanical sorting device constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a partial perspective view of the me chanical sorting device shown in FIGURE 1 after the same has been activated by an article which is to be sorted.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional View taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

Referring now to the drawings, there is depicted a mechanical sorting device which includes a base 12, a pair of vertical posts 14, a beam or arm 18 having a plate or rest 20 secured to one of the ends thereof in a conventional manner, an arcuate chute 22 and a spring 24.

The arm 18 is pivotally secured to the posts 14 in a conventional manner by means of a bolt 26 and a nut (not shown). The arm 18 is held in a horizontal position by means of the spring 24 and a lip 27 formed at the top edge of the arcuate chute. The spring 24 has one end thereof connected to the underside of said arm and the other end connected to a threaded bolt 28 which is adapted to be engaged by the threaded bore of a member 30 which is secured to the base 12; the threaded bolt 28 and the member 30 serving as an adjustment means for varying the tension of the spring 24.

Braces 32 are secured between the posts 14 and the base 12, while the braces 34 are secured between the posts and said arcuate chute.

The arcuate chute has a plurality of slots 36, 38 and 40, having chutes 42, 44 and 46, respectively, connected to said arcuate chute at the bottom portion of said slots, and said chutes having storing receptacles 42a, 44a and 46a detachably secured thereto.

In the operation of the sorting device 10, the articles to be sorted, such as a spoon 48, are fed to said sorter by means of a conveying apparatus (not shown) having a conveyor chute 50, as seen in FIGURE 1. When the spoon is deposited upon the plate 20, the weight thereof causes the arm 18, which is pivotal about the bolt 26, to

move downwardly until it is positioned adjacent the slot 38, as shown in FIGURE 2, whereupon, the downward force of the spoon 48 overcomes the frictional force between the plate and the spoon, and the spoon slides through the slot 38 on to the chute 44 and thence into the storing receptacle 44a. After the spoon slides off the plate, the force exerted upon the arm by the spring causes it to move upwardly until it reaches its horizontal position, whereupon it is halted by means of the lip 27.

It should be noted that the are described by the pivotal movement of the front edge of the plate 20 is complementary to the arcuate shape of the chute 22, whereby the plate is positioned immediately adjacent one of said slots in the arcuate chute, after an article is placed on said plate. The tension of the spring 24 may be adjusted, as discussed previously, by means of the bolt 28 and the member 30, so as to regulate the pivotal movement of said arm, in dependence upon the weight of the articles which are to be sorted.

It should be noted that although the present invention has been described as having three slots for separating three articles of silverware, such as spoons, forks and knives, it may have any desired number of slots, and the slots may be of varying sizes to accommodate the various articles desired to be sorted. Also, the sorting device may be made of wood, metal, plastic or any combination of the aforesaid materials.

It is thus seen that I have provided a mechanical sorting device which is capable of simple operation and which is relatively easy and inexpensive to manufacture.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, there are many modifications which may be made therein by persons skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A sorting device for sorting articles of varying weight, comprising a base, an arm, a support member for said arm, and an arcuate guiding chute having a plurality of circumferentially spaced slots; said support member having one end thereof connected to said base, means pivotally connecting said arm intermediate the ends thereof to the other end of said support member and means connecting said arcuate guiding chute to said base and to said support member, a plate member for receiving said articles connected to one end of said arm, said arcuate guiding chute being complementary to the arcuate path described by the outer edge of said plate member and having radially inwardly extending side flanges, tension adjustable spring means connected between the other end of said arm and said base, storing receptacles connected to each of said slots in said arcuate guiding chute, whereby when an article to be sorted is placed upon said plate, the weight of said article causes said plate to move downwardly to a position which is opposite a preselected one of said slots, whereupon the downward force of said article is sufiicient to overcome the frictional force between said article and said plate, causing said article to slide off said plate, through said slot and into the storing receptacle connected to said slot.

2. A sorting device for sorting articles of varying weight in accordance with claim 1, including means connected to said arcuate guiding chute to limit the upward movement of said arm, so that the arm is positioned in a substantially horizontal position when it is in its inactive state.

3. A sorting device for sorting articles of varying weight in accordance with claim 2, wherein said support member comprises a pair of vertical posts.

4. A sorting device for sorting articles of varying weight in accordance with claim 3, wherein said means for limiting the upward movement of said arm comprises a lip connected to the upper edge of said arcuate guiding chute, said lip engaging the plate member of said arm to limit the upward movement thereof.

4 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 559,534 5/1896 Lohsand 194-103 X 5 847,230 3/1907 Brockt 209l21 1,582,933 5/1926 King 194103 ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

F. R. HANDREN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A SORTING DEVICE FOR SORTING ARTICLES OF VARYING WEIGHT, COMPRISING A BASE, AN ARM, A SUPPORT MEMBER FOR SAID ARM, AND AN ARCUATE GUIDING CHUTE HAVING A PLURALITY OF CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED SLOTS; SAID SUPPORT MEMBER HAVING ONE END THEREOF CONNECTED TO SAID BASE, MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTING SAID ARM INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS THEREOF TO THE OTHER END OF SAID SUPPORT MEMBER AND MEANS CONNECTING SAID ARCUATE GUIDING CHUTE TO SAID BASE AND SAID SUPPORT MEMBER, A PLATE MEMBER FOR RECEIVING SAID ARTICLES CONNECTED TO ONE END OF SAID ARM, SAID ARCUATE GUIDING CHUTE BEING COMPLEMENTARY TO THE ARCUATE PATH DESCRIBED BY THE OUTER EDGE OF SAID PLATE MEMBER AND HAVING RADIALLY INWARDLY EXTENDING SIDE FLANGES, TENSION 